Someone elsewhere is asking for people to pray for a new heart for a little girl who needs one.

[conuly]

I'm not posting there, because while I certainly want the best for this little child, part of me can't help thinking that what she's essentially asking is for us to pray that another little kid dies, and fast. Pointing that out would not be very helpful.

(Also? Organ donation *is* a good thing. I think everybody should consider it for themselves and their minor children. But still.)

Comments

[chasy]

you know, i've always noticed the very same thing when people say "please pray for so-and-so who needs a new heart"! like...how do you pray for that?? :'( i can't imagine being in that position myself, of needing that for myself or someone i love...

just in case you're wondering (cos if you're even a SMIDGEN like me, you totally are), pne referred me to you because i recently found out my husband may have a mild form of AS and pne said you seem fairly knowledgeable AND approachable. if he is right about that, would you mind if i messaged you with some general questions?

[feebeeglee.livejournal.com]

See, this covers almost everything I don't like about petitionary prayer.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

Isn't the sort of petitionary prayer that requires harm to another quite rare?

[feebeeglee.livejournal.com]

I dunno, much of the time someone asks God to help them it will cause another to come to harm, won't it? Praying that you get the promotion is praying no one else does, etc.

I'm becoming a heretic in my old age.

[conuly]

Not when it comes to organ donation. And it's a sucky situation, because I *do* want this little girl to live and recover... but anybody can see that's only going to happen, with the technology we have, if another girl or boy her age doesn't get that chance.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know not when it comes to organ donation - I mean in general. I mean, praying not to lose your house, praying that a family member's disease is cured (not counting transplants that require death of the donator), praying that you'll pass a test (not counting competitive ones), etc.

[leora.livejournal.com]

Yeah, if it were a kidney, sure. But for a heart... no. I don't want this kid to die, but I don't even know this kid. I don't want this kid to die because I generally don't want kids to die. I can't hope that some other kid I don't know does die so this kid I don't know lives.

I'm sorry for the child and the family.

[becoming-mother.livejournal.com]

... :( Yeah. Ugh. I can't imagine what it must be like to be in her shoes. But I also couldn't pray for that, for the reasons you give. *shudders* That is depressing.

[conuly]

It's not her kid, it's her friend's or a friend-of-a-friend's. And I feel for the family, I certainly do. I don't blame anybody for wanting the kid to recover, and I know that the parents really do realize that their child's life is going to come at a very high cost for another family. But even if I believed in prayer* I don't think I could bring myself to do that.

*As in "believe there's any point". I naturally believe that prayer *exists*, that's like not believing in durian. I don't eat that stuff, but it's out there.

[sporks5000.livejournal.com]

We got a computer at work that was all but useless. there was something wrong with it where it kept shutting down and restarting, causing who ever was using it to lose work.

We got another computer to replace it, but the ram was wonky. it was taking ten minutes just to load into windows, and more time beyond that before any programs would even consider opening.

I combined parts from the two of them to make one working computer and one computer that wouldn't even turn on.

To me, this was the logical course of action.

But it terrifies me, the thought of doing the same thing to two children.

[sayga.livejournal.com]

Agreed completely. I suppose, if I were the praying type, I would pray that a family who had not previously considered organ donation would "have a change of heart" and decide to donate their child's organs, but still, obviously that family is going to lose a kid too. How sad. AND, you could pray that she gets moved to the top of the organ list, but that still means the kid who got bumped downward ISN'T going to get their heart that they also need.

Organ donation is in our will and Daniel and I know to arrange to have the other's organs donated. And if something happens to either of our kids, I will donate every last piece of them if it helps another family. It's a terrible thing to think about, but even more terrible to think of not sharing what one can no longer use.

[diatryma.livejournal.com]

Frankly, if I'm asking for something and expecting to get it, I am praying for a much more miraculous miracle. Not 'donor heart' but 'spontaneous recovery of present heart'. Really, people, pray BIG.

[queenlyzard.livejournal.com]

Hear, hear.